


Germano Drama

by ColdWarSaint



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Breakup Fic, Cheating, M/M, Sibling Rivalry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-04
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-03-15 02:54:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28556463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ColdWarSaint/pseuds/ColdWarSaint
Summary: Feliciano and Ludwig have been falling out of love for some time, and Ludwig's only complicated things by accidently falling in love with Lovino, while he's still dating Feliciano. Trying to navigate this, Feliciano stops by at the worst possible time, after a night where the two gave into their budding romance, against their better judgement.Just a one chapter fic exploring Feliciano's reaction to finding his brother. I live for the drama. Inspired by a drawing by Frukmerunning, which I couldn't help but expand on.
Relationships: Germany/South Italy (Hetalia)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 16





	Germano Drama

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Rayanne](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rayanne/gifts).



Part 1

He'd suspected that Ludwig was up to something-- he really was a terrible liar, all that glancing about and fidgeting-- but he hadn't suspected he'd actually catch him! It was kind of funny, honestly, how flustered he was, all red and shirtless. Clearly embarrassed! It was cute, even. Cute.

"Who do you have in here?" Feliciano teased, standing up on his toes a moment to peek over Ludwig's shoulder to the obviously ruffled bed. 

"I can... Explain--" 

Feliciano raised his hands. "No! No, no, I thought this might be the case!" He giggled. "Did you really think I didn't? You're kinda easy to read, Lud! Let me see who it is though!" Feliciano dodged around Ludwig to scan the room. "Is he hiding? It's a he, right? I think it would be with you, just a little thought! It's definitely a he! Oh, Ludwig he better be cute! Very cute!" Feliciano peeked under the bed. "Because if he's cute, that I get! I can forgive you a reaaaaaally cute guy, cause I've seen a few that I've been tempted by, so if you get one, I get..." 

His eyes had fallen on a custom pair of Italian leather dress shoes tucked neatly against the leg of the bed. Shoes he would recognize anywhere. 

The immediate feeling was a bit like missing a step. Misjudging the height. 

"Feliciano?" Ludwig sounded nervous but Feliciano couldn't hear it over the white noise of his own rising anger. "I think you should let me give you that explanation. 

He straightens up from where he had been playfully looking under the bed, and his face must give away what he's feeling— for once— because Ludwig takes a step back. And now that he knows who he's looking for, he knows where to find him. 

Lovino is smoking, in the bathroom, the window open, and his bare back to the tile under it. When he sees Feliciano standing in the doorway he flinches (and it is most definitely despite himself, Feliciano thinks this with a savage pleasure).

"You?" And he can't manage the smile, not just then. "I shouldn't be surprised, though, should I? Following behind me, taking seconds." 

Lovino scowled. "Don't fucking act like this is about you." 

"About me?" His voice hits a low note, almost a growl. "My boyfriend? Who's it about then, Lovino? You?! When has that ever been the case?" 

"You know what I mean, I didn't do this to spite you." 

Ludwig stepped forward as if to insert himself in the situation; Feliciano's hand went up without even turning around. "Do not speak right now." 

Something unexpected: Ludwig gently lowers that hand. "He's right. We didn't plan this. I was going to talk to you about it." 

A spike of white hot anger. But he was, even now, just a little more clever than that. 

"It just kind of happened," Ludwig continued to explain, earnestly. "And neither of us wanted to hurt you, or--" 

Feliciano tuned that out, focusing on his brother's expression. Lovino was avoiding his face, his eyes so focused on... Oh. 

Oh, no. But that would mean. A smile like a knife edge split his face. Neither of them noticed it. Oh, Lovino, really? 

He laughed. Bright. It cut through whatever bullshit Ludwig was feeding him. "I can't believe this," he breathed. "I really can't believe this. Both of you? Is it...?" 

For the first time, Lovino didn't look defiant, and Feliciano knew beyond a doubt knew. Ludwig, of course, just looked confused. 

Another laugh, but this one was a whole lot more genuine. He turned towards his boyfriend. 

"Ludwig! I-- I believe you, really. Because you would never hurt me, would you?" Feliciano took his hands, his eyes wide. "You care about me, right?" 

"Of course I do." 

"And... And does this mean, you're planning on leaving me?" 

"I..." It was clear he hadn't thought that far ahead. "I think that might be the responsible thing to do."

"I'm sorry I reacted so strongly, I'm just-- that's what I was scared of, that's all. And I-- I don't really want to lose you. I just can't believe-- I can't believe... Because he's my brother and..." Feliciano's shoulders fell. "Can you just... Can we talk, please? The two of us? Can you... Send him away?"

Ludwig opened his mouth to, Feliciano would bet, concede to that point. Because it was a logical one, wasn't it? Because Feliciano was his boyfriend, still, and he deserved these answers, and he really should be chosen. 

But something drew him up short. His eyes lingering over Feliciano's shoulder, likely on some mute glare that was communicating not rage, but that silent panic Lovino always tried to disguise as rage. 

"I'm not sure," Ludwig said, diplomatically, "that that would be best right now. We should probably all talk together. I'm sorry, Feliciano. I really am." 

Okay. Another surprise! How long has this been going on that he would even think to spare his feelings before he catered to-- 

"We... We have to talk just the two of us eventually, Lud, right? I-- are you just kicking me out then? You've replaced me and you're waiting here to get rid of me...?" The hurt that registered in his voice was calculated. "How long have... Have you two been thinking about this?" 

"I-- we haven't if you would just listen to me, Feliciano. Why don't we sit down? I could make coffee. Let us talk to you?" 

Feliciano really didn't have any interest in that idea: he already knew Lovino, and he already knew Ludwig, what could they possibly say? Instead, he let tears well up in his eyes, pulling back from Ludwig. 

"I...I...I asked you for... For one thing, and you won't even... I can't believe..." 

Lovino wasn't saying anything, hadn't said anything (quiet, for either of the brothers, was rarely a good sign), and Feliciano knew it was because he was waiting, too. Waiting to see what it was Ludwig would decide on his own. 

What Ludwig did was frown, a little, at the tears, before he re-closed the distance between them. He did what he did when he wanted a moment of quiet from the Italian: pressed both of his hands between his own as if praying, so that he had a second to get a word in while Feliciano tried to figure out how to speak without them.

"You really think I don't know the difference between your fake tears and your real ones at this point?" His voice was so damn fond. 

Feliciano blinked once. Of course he didn't think Ludwig could tell. Why would he be able to he's so-- 

"You think I'm naïve and unobservant. You treat me like I'm a child sometimes. And I know you're upset, but I am asking you, please, Feliciano, to listen to us." It looked like he was going to continue like this. 

Feliciano would never do something as direct as slapping Ludwig-- because what did violence ever accomplish?-- but God if he wasn't tempted to. Instead, Feliciano took a deep, deep breath and gently extracted his hands. He wiped his eyes. 

"No, no, I... I apologize for being emotional, I guess, I'm sorry--" 

"No one is asking you to be sorry," Ludwig said at the same time Lovino muttered, "bullshit apologies." 

Feliciano ignored them both. "But I don't think, I don't think I can talk about this right now? You-- are you going to tell me you're in love?" 

Ludwig blanched at the word love, but Lovino's face went as red as a tomato (which told Feliciano everything he needed to know in a snapshot). 

"I don't think I can hear it right now." Felicnao spun on a heel and left the room. They trailed after him, at least, which was... Something. 

"Wait, Feliciano, I don't want you to go," Ludwig said, "communication is important between—"

"You should have thought of that before you cheated on me." Feliciano took his coat down and pulled it back around his shoulders. He paused then, adjusting it, to meet Lovino's eyes over Ludwig's shoulder. "I don't think it will surprise anyone to know it was you, do you think?" 

"It wasn't just him." Ludwig tried to step between them. 

"Angry and vindictive Lovino," Feliciano continued, buttoning up his coat, "stealing his poor sweet brother's boyfriend away, after he's done nothing but try to make things work for them." 

"You're just angry right now," Ludwig was trying to reason. 

"That's what you're going to tell them, feed your fucking victim complex," Lovino snapped. A lot more courageous hiding behind someone, as always. 

Felicnao dressed him down with a look. Shrugged. "Tell them? Or reinforce what they're all already thinking? It's not a very thick line, brother." 

He pulled open the door and cool air blew his hair back, fluttered the ends of his coat. For a moment, he stood there. Then he cast a smile designed to charm over his shoulder. 

"Loyalty, that's a virtue your brother values, isn't it, Lud? I know you told me you were worried about becoming too much like him! I'm glad you figured it out." And he shuts the door behind him with a very soft click.

Part 2

Lovino's fingers drummed over the wood of the table. Again and again and again and again and again. Sitting across from him, reading glasses perched on his nose, was Ludwig, who wasn't complaining about the noise, and probably wouldn't, despite him feeling this nagging sense of defensiveness at the non-existent accusation of being annoying. 

Finally, he stood abruptly, chair legs scraping across the floor. "Okay." He announced. "I'm going." 

Now Ludwig glanced up, over the tops of the lenses, eyebrows pinching in a well-worn look of concern. "I told you I could talk to him, with you." 

"Fuck off." And he meant by that: I know you want to help, but you can't, so don't you dare go worrying about it. 

"Alright." Ludwig didn't sound remotely convinced, but he also didn't try to stand up. 

Lovino braced himself, because he had to brace himself to talk to his own fucking brother, before walking across the recently polished hardwoods of the large conference hall to where Feliciano was sitting. Sitting next to Kiku and laughing like life was so damn easy for him, like he didn't even mean those things he tossed out last night, like they were the equivalent to goodnight, so good to see you. 

"Hey," Lovino said instead of a greeting. "We need to talk." 

Feliciano turned his face up, and that stupid shit-eating grin just got brighter-- it was a miracle that no one had ever punched him in the face. "Then talk!" 

And, God, like he wanted to have this fucking conversation in front of Kiku. As if Feliciano expected him to just along like he didn't feel out every single place he was uncomfortable and press. 

But-- 

"Fine! Fine. I'm here to--" It wasn't like he hadn't already told Kiku, Lovino was sure of that. "-- to apologize. To you. For. The cheating."

"Oh?" And he might as well have said that's surprising coming from you which also implied because I know how you are which was-- 

No. He wasn't doing this today. He was here for a reason. So he grit his teeth and continued. 

"It was wrong. I shouldn't have done it. It's a shitty thing to do. And it was shitty that I did it." 

Kiku looked uncomfortable, and Lonvino sure as hell hoped he was: that he blamed that on Feliciano. 

"It was!" He didn't need to sound so delighted about this. "So does this mean you're done hiding behind Ludwig? Was he the one who convinced you to be a decent person?" 

What the fuck! Why does this always have to be this way?! What are you even gaining right now! I'm already apologizing!

"I don't need someone to convince me to be a decent person!" Said in the mocking tone he used to imitate Feliciano, one that he didn't like to think of as pretty near spot-on. "Unlike you, I don't just do things for my own self-interest, and I know that cheating is wrong." 

"Do you?" Felicano cocked his head, a gesture he used when trying to communicate I'm sweet, I'm innocent. "Then why did you do it to me?" 

"I didn't mean to do anything, do you seriously think I would do this just because--" Lovino was aware of the volume of his voice rising steeply, and he clamped it back down with a force that also cut off what he was going to say. Why say it, anyway? Why give him anymore fuel here? 

The rest, all feelings and accusations, escaped his teeth in a hiss. "What matters. Is that. I'm sorry. If I hurt you—” and he did not think he had, not because of Ludwig “— I'm sorry." 

"I'll consider forgiving you." Felicano liked this, that was the real kicker, wasn't it? "But I don't know if this is going to make the stories about you much nicer."

"I don't care!" Lovino snapped, and he was opening his mouth to let the rest out in a torrent when he thought better of it. In fact, why not take a page out of Feliciano's book? 

Feliciano, who always seemed to walk away at the right moment. Feliciano, who never really overshared for how much he talked. Feliciano, who liked to think he floated alllllll the way above it all because he was just that confident that if it came down to it he could talk his way out of any corner. 

"I don't," a more even tone, "care what anyone thinks. I don't care if you or anyone else thinks I mean this apology. I do. I know it. It's," he practically spit the last words "the right thing to do." 

And then he walked away. Whatever bullshit Feliciano called after him dutifully, painfully, ignored. It felt... Good. But,

he collapsed back into his seat across from Ludwig and glared a hole into the table top, 

not that good, really. 

"How did it go...?" As if Ludwig couldn't have heard the shouting. 

Lovino took a deep breath that did nothing to soothe him. "Taking the high road fucking sucks." 

"Not always." There was a warm note of amusement in Ludwig's voice. "It can be worth it." 

"Worth no one believing me over Feliciano? Yeah, sure. Sounds great." He was being disingenuous because he was pissed, and frustrated, and a tangle of other emotions that were mostly negative that he really didn't want to start trying to sort. 

"I'll always believe you." Ludwig reached across the table and took his hand, squeezing it once. Firmly. 

And there was just-- something about the way he said things. Like they were concrete, without any cracks in them for Lovino's doubt to wiggle through. "Whatever." And what he meant by that: I'm going to find the right words to tell you how I feel, one day.


End file.
